Burden (4 page)

“This isn’t too far. Fifteen minutes, tops.”

“I can take a cab. I’m s’posed to.” Jesus, he just kept digging himself deeper and deeper. He may as well be five.

“For the third time, no. Let’s go.” Keegan took hold of Brennan’s elbow and pushed him toward the door. “Do you do everything St. John tells you to?”

“Not everything.” Just most things. He hadn’t stayed at the group home like Michael had wanted him to. He hadn’t taken the job Michael had suggested.

Brennan fought his reaction to Keegan’s nearness. It had been so long since he’d felt comfortable in the presence of others. Primarily because he turned into a babbling, drooling idiot whenever he had to talk to them. But Keegan was different. He made Brennan feel…safe somehow. Not that he didn’t make Brennan stutter, but still…the man smelled fantastic. So much so Brennan’s mouth actually watered.

Keegan led Brennan out of the precinct, and Brennan didn’t miss any of the looks cast in their direction by Keegan’s coworkers. Who could fault them for staring, with Keegan’s almost possessive hold on Brennan’s arm?

And why in the hell did it make him feel so right? Better than he’d felt in more than a year.

He noticed as they got closer to the front doors that it was nearly dark outside. How was it he hadn’t realized how much time had passed? Keegan’s long stride took them across the well-lit parking lot to an unmarked sedan. A car small enough that Brennan panicked again. How would he be able to stand being cooped up so close to the man, making his heart race and his cock thicken, for any amount of time?

Chapter Four

Keegan opened the door for Brennan and waited for him to buckle his seat belt before shutting the door on him. He mentally shook his head as he rounded the hood. If he didn’t get his erection under control, he’d have Brennan flat on his back the second they hit his place.

The fact he didn’t know whether or not Brennan was really gay didn’t seem to matter in the least. His dick didn’t care anyway.

The second he got into the car, Brennan’s scent enveloped him, permeating the enclosed space. Brennan was staring out the window, his body wound tighter than a cork in a bottle. All that trapped energy… What kind of man had he been before the accident? And what could Keegan do to spring that energy?

The thought brought forth all kinds of kinky images.

Silence filled the car, allowing Keegan to think. Suspect or witness? Make a move or not? And they were headed toward a pretty affluent neighborhood. He had to wonder how an IA detective made enough to afford a place in Kingston Falls. There weren’t any apartments in the area. He supposed it could be a condo, but still, the condos sometimes cost more than the homes.

“You lived in Kingston Falls long?” Keegan noticed his question made Brennan jump. Or maybe it was just the break in the monotony of the pavement sounds beneath the tires. He hadn’t even turned on the radio.

“Um, no. The last couple months or so.”

“Ah.” Did that mean Brennan had family money?

“I live with my aunt.” Brennan sounded so dejected, Keegan couldn’t help but smile.

“Okay.”

“Look, it was either her or a group home.” Now he was defensive. But Keegan clearly understood what was happening now. Brennan needed a keeper to help with his injuries. Sort of made it seem a little implausible the guy had masterminded an attempt on Keegan’s life when he had to live with an aunt.

But being a cop, Keegan had certainly seen worse.

“You don’t have to explain anything to me.”

Brennan let out a breath. “I c-couldn’t even tell you m-my address.”

“So what? Things could be worse, right? You could be in a vegetative state. Or dead.”

“Sometimes I’d rather.” The words were so mumbled Keegan barely heard them.

He did a double take of Brennan’s downturned face. “Rather what? Be dead or a vegetable? Neither of them sounds ideal to me.” Keegan couldn’t resist. He put his hand on Brennan’s thigh, relishing the sharp intake of air and stiffening of Brennan’s body. A second later the man relaxed.

“You don’t know what I’ve been through.”

“Nope, I don’t. And I can’t really imagine it either, but you’re still here and apparently progressing. I mean, I don’t know how bad you were, but if St. John wanted you in a group home, then I’m guessing it must have been really bad.”

“My memory’s a little shy on the details.”

Without thinking, Keegan patted Brennan’s thigh. Brennan swallowed audibly.

Keegan withdrew his hand. “Sorry ’bout that.”

“No problem.”

They stopped at a stop sign, and Keegan turned to Brennan, whose stoic attention was focused out the windshield. Keegan let his gaze wander down Brennan’s torso. His hands were fisted on his thighs, a sight Keegan was beginning to recognize as a defense mechanism whenever the man was nervous. The other thing he noticed was the bulge behind Brennan’s fly. Well, well, well.

Headlights glared off the rearview mirror, temporarily blinding Keegan.

“It’s that way,” Brennan said softly, pointing, but not looking at Keegan.

The man was gorgeous, all embarrassed and turned on but not wanting to let Keegan know.

“I know.” Since Keegan could see the pulse pounding at Brennan’s throat, he decided not to push things any further. The simmering desire was literally palpable in the enclosed confines of the car, but he really wasn’t sure how much Brennan could take.

Keegan pulled into the intersection, but a sudden uneasy feeling made him go straight instead of turning.

“What’re you—?”

“Little detour, sorry.” Keegan hit the gas. He maneuvered through traffic and kept his eyes on the rearview mirror.

There were several cars behind him, each taking its turn at the stop before moving forward or turning. Three followed him. Nothing appeared out of place. But something still felt off.

He took a left at the next light. A few blocks later a car appeared. Could be nothing. Keegan went right at the next street.

“What’s going on?” Brennan twisted in his seat and looked out the back.

“Probably nothing. Too much time undercover.” The car hung back a bit but continued to follow their path.

“Are we being tailed?”

Keegan jerked his gaze to Brennan’s. “It never dies, does it?”

“What?”

“Being a cop. Even when you aren’t one, the instincts are still there.”

Brennan seemed to shrink back. He shrugged. “I guess so. Should I be worried?”

“Only if the guy starts ramming us.” Keegan curled his hand around Brennan’s nape. “Hey. Brennan.” The quickening of the man’s breath and the way he sort of doubled over scared the shit out of Keegan. “It’s okay. Told you, probably nothing. I just don’t take chances.”

Brennan shook his head. “Not that.”

With one hand on the wheel, one eye on the road and one on the mirror—nothing like multitasking while driving—Keegan caressed Brennan’s neck with his thumb. “What is it, then?”

“I—I s-sometimes get these flashes. Of what happened. Been getting more and more lately.”

“Something I said?”

“Maybe.”

“You wanna tell me about it?”

Brennan shook his head. “No.”

“Okay.”

“It’s just sounds of m-metal and screaming and the f-falling, and I tr-try t-to stop and I c-can’t.”

“Shit.” What else could he say? He couldn’t imagine the terror Brennan had gone through, and Brennan, despite momentarily opening up, didn’t seem to want to go any deeper. Or maybe he couldn’t.

“Was a long time ago.” Brennan said it almost as if it didn’t matter.

Keegan dropped it and returned his attention to the vehicle behind them. Because of the lights, he couldn’t make out a license plate. Hell, he couldn’t even get a model on the car. A dark-colored sedan was about the best he could do. He made another left and started tapping his left foot. If it turned again, it was time to do some maneuvering. The last thing he needed was to add to Brennan’s trauma. He’d have to do it quietly.

“If we’re being trailed, just lose him.”

Well. So much for keeping it quiet.

“Yes, sir.” Keegan stepped on the gas. No time like the present to lose his tail. Leading them right to the witness’s doorstep would culminate, no doubt, in the loss of the witness. In the loss of Brennan. Something Keegan was in no way prepared to allow to happen.

A few more turns took them to a main road with stoplights every few blocks. Keegan decided the prudent thing to do would be to call for backup. Flashing lights always worked wonders at making the bad guys disappear. If he were alone, he might try and find out who his little friend was, but not with Brennan in the car.

A phone call to dispatch later, Keegan soon had one of Denver’s finest on his tail. Luckily, there had been a patrol in the area.

Brennan snorted next to him. “Pussy.”

Keegan had to laugh. “For calling in the cavalry? Yeah, the bad guys aren’t so tough whenever the cops get involved, are they?”

As soon as he was sure the black-and-whites had scared off his guest, Keegan turned the car around and headed back to Kingston Falls. He pulled up in front of what he would consider a mansion. The giant two-story house had a wraparound porch, flower boxes and century-old trees to shade the yard during the daylight hours.

“You can let me off here, thanks.” Brennan had his belt off and the door open before Keegan had the car at a stop.

“Jesus, Brennan, would you wait? Could fucking break an ankle or something.”

Brennan turned around sharply and gaped at Keegan. He seemed shocked. That Keegan had had the audacity to reprimand him or that he’d cared at all?

Keegan got out. “I’m a cop. I’ll feel better if I see you inside.” As if. He just didn’t want to leave Brennan. And since it didn’t seem too likely Brennan would invite him up for coffee, he’d have to do the job himself. Besides, he wanted to see how the man lived.

And there was, after all, the possibility Brennan was a witness to a hit. He might need protection. It wouldn’t hurt for Keegan to make sure security was in place.

He could tell himself all day that security was the reason he wanted to follow Brennan in, but it wouldn’t change the truth.

He wanted to know Brennan better.

“Okay, I guess.” Brennan shrugged and trooped off down the driveway that led behind the house. At the end Keegan could see a garage.

“Gee, thanks.”

Brennan’s heart raced. Things would have been much simpler if Keegan had stayed in the car. Then the other man wouldn’t see how simply Brennan lived. Or worse, feel sorry for him. The pity sucked more than anything.

He climbed the stairs at the side of the two-story garage to his apartment and sensed Keegan behind him every step. What would the undercover cop think of his sparse place? Would it make Brennan seem even more the loser?

Keegan’s hand covered Brennan’s when he tried to unlock the door.

“Let me.”

Brennan searched Keegan’s face. “Why?”

“Just humor me. Please?” There was a seriousness in Keegan’s features, something that told Brennan Keegan was in cop mode. He wasn’t sure why. They hadn’t been followed home, and surely there was no way in hell anyone could know who he was.

“Whatever.”

Keegan smiled, and Brennan came damn close to leaning in and kissing one of the hot dimples that appeared on Keegan’s cheeks.

He backed off to avoid making more of a fool of himself than he already had throughout the day. Jesus, he was losing what was left of his warped mind. Kissing Keegan would likely end in a black eye and a trip end over end down the stairs behind him.

“After all that’s happened today, I just want to make sure.” Keegan pushed the door open and disappeared inside the dark confines before Brennan could say another word.

Which sort of made Brennan feel, once again, stupid. In his past life he knew for a fact there’d be no way he would have stood outside while someone else searched his apartment. Yet another reason for him to hate the fucking accident that had ruined the very fiber of his being.

“Hey. Hey! Get off, you little rat. Shit.” A loud crash followed Keegan’s curses, along with a chorus of meows.

Brennan chuckled. Oops. He’d forgotten to warn macho man in cop mode about his pet project.

“Oooowww. Get ’em off me, Brennan.”

Brennan stuck his head in the door. Across the space of the living room, Keegan danced through the kitchen, his gun raised to the ceiling, an all-brown kitten attached to his jeans-covered leg, the cream-colored one attacking the shoelaces of the opposite foot, and the other two, both brown and white, pawing at him as he tried not to step on them.

“Is it s-safe for me to come in?”

“Quit laughing, and get your sorry ass over here.” Keegan slammed into the table with his hip as he kicked gently to dislodge the shoelace eater. Another one immediately took its place with an eager leap.

“Damn it. What the fuck are these things?”

Brennan laughed out loud and corralled the nearest two. He scooped them up and put them back in the cardboard box they had somehow managed to dump over. Time to get something sturdier, he guessed.

“Jesus Christ, I’m bleeding to death here. It’s cutting my damn leg off.”

“Don’t be such a pussy.” Brennan pried the ankle biter from Keegan’s pant leg and pulled at the one eating the shoelace, untying the lace as he lifted the tan-and-white fur ball.

“That’s the second time you’ve called me that.”

Brennan dropped the two in the box with their siblings and stood, bumping into Keegan, who’d stepped up directly behind him.

“Maybe I ought to show you just how un-pussy-like I can be.” With a hand on Brennan’s upper arm, Keegan spun him around and plastered him against the wall.

Before he could take a breath, Keegan’s lips were on his, his tongue pushing in to tangle with Brennan’s tongue. The brief second of shock disintegrated into complete acceptance. Brennan put his hands on Keegan’s waist and held him loosely, afraid Keegan would realize what he’d done and break off. The man tasted so good. Brennan’s mind wandered. He hadn’t remembered Keegan eating a mint.

What did it matter? The man kissed like nobody’s business, and how the hell long had it been since Brennan had been kissed? He angled his head for better access and trailed his fingers up Keegan’s spine. Keegan cupped the back of Brennan’s head to keep him still while he plundered Brennan’s mouth.